Alarm device



G. c. QUEEN ALARM DEVICE April 11, 1939.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 8, 1937 amen tor:

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ALARM DEVI CE.

Filed Nov. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v NI I 7 his] s J 1 1| GROVERC QUEEN L I 1% Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a fiuid actuated alarm device which is adapted to be installed in pipe lines for automatically detecting the flow of liquid therein and rendering active a suitable alarm. More specifically my invention relates to an alarm which is installed in the pipe line for detecting leaks, escaping fiuid from the pipe due to freezing, breakage or fire, or in fact any condition which might affect the fiow of liquid therein. It is particularly adapted to be used in conjunction with automatic wet sprinkling systems for sounding an audible alarm when one of the sprinkler heads has been opened, such as by excessive heat or fire within the building.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an alarm device to be installed in a main pipe line which comprises a pivoted mechanism normally obstructing the fiow in the pipe, said mechanism being adapted to operate a branch line valve upon the fiow of the liquid in the main line which, in turn allows the liquid to flow through this branch line and operate a suitable alarm.

It is a further object of this invention to interpose in the pipe line a device embodying a swinging leaf adapted to be actuated by the movement of the current of water in the pipe and by its movement to close an electric circuit in which is included a horn or other alarm and a current supplying instrumentality such asza battery.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through a portion of a building showing a pipe line with my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the invention taken along the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an isometric view showing a rotary switch and brushes which are used to complete the electrical circuit and give an alarm upon the fiow of liquid within the main pipe line.

Referring more specifically to the drawings the numeral I0 denotes a sidewall of a building which may have suitable columns such as H disposed therein, said wall and columns being adapted to support floor joists l2 upon which a fioor I3 is laid; Leading into this building is a pipe line H which has connected to one end thereof an elbow l5. This elbow has its lower flange secured to the upper portion of a housing l6 of my mechanism. The lower flange of the housing l6 has another pipe l'l secured thereto, all of said pipes serving to conduct water or other fluid to 7 various parts of the building. For example, leading from the pipe I! is a smaller pipe I8, having sprinkler heads I9 attached thereto and disposed at the proper positions within the building for the extinguishing of fires.

The opposed ends of housing l6 have plates 25 and 26 disposed therein for closing the same (Figure 3). Disposed on the top of the plates 25 and 2B are cap plates 21 and 28, which are secured to the housing I6 by any suitable means such as bolts 29 and 30, respectively. A suitable shaft 3| is mounted for oscillation in plates 25, 26 and 28 which has a suitable vane 33 secured thereon and disposed between the plates 25 and 26. By observing Figures 3 and 4 it will be seen that this plate is adapted to very snugly fit the proximate faces of plates 25 and 26 and also fit the arcuate surfaces I61; and I6!) of the housing [6. By providing such a snug fit it is impossible for any appreciable amount of fiuid to pass this vane 33 without rotating the free end thereof past points I60 and Hid, depending of course upon the direction of the fiow of the liquid within the pipe line.

Fixedly secured on the end of shaft 3| is a suitable cam roller 35 having a notch 35a in its periphery. This notch is adapted to normally support a roller 36, which roller is rotatably mounted in the left-hand end of lever 31, in Figure This lever is pivoted intermediate its ends as at 38 to the upper end of valve rod 39, the other end of said lever being pivoted at fixed pivot 40 on bracket 4 I. The bracket 4| is threadably secured to the upper portion of valve casing 42 and has integral therewith an upstanding forked leg M11 in which is slidably mounted the left-hand portion of lever 31. This forked portion merely acts as a guide for the lever 31 and the roller 36. I

The lower portion of valve rod 39 has fixedly secured thereon suitable valves 44 and 45 which normally close suitable valve ports in the inlet chamber 46. This chamber communicates with the upper portion of the valve casing l6 (see Figures 1 and 4) by means of a suitable branch pipe 41.

When one of the sprinkler heads has been opened by accident, intentionally, or due to excessive heat in the building, water is caused to fiow through the casing l6 and the vane 33 will be rotated in a clockwise manner in Figure 4.

This rotation will likewise rotate cam 35 in a clockwise manner in Figure 1 to cause the roller 36 to ride out of the cavity or notch 35a and upon the high side of this cam. This movement will rotate the lever 31 in a clockwise manner and raise the valves 44 and upwardly in Figure 1 to allow the liquid to flow from the upper portion of easing [6 through branch pipe 41 and into inlet chamber 46. Since the valves 44 and 45 are in a raised position at this time, liquid will flow from inlet chamber 45 to outlet chamber and downwardly through pipes 5| and 52 until it reaches water or liquid motor 53. The flow of liquid in this motor will rotate the shaft 54 and cause the clapper 55 to strike bell 56 to give an alarm. The water motor 53 has a suitable outlet 53a which allows the water to escape therefrom after operating the motor.

When it is desired to give an alarm at some distant point where it is not practical to use a water motor, a suitable electrical system may be installed. In order to make the proper electrical contacts, I have adjustably secured a suitable cam 68 on shaft 3! by any suitable means such as a set screw 6 This cam has a layer of insulating material 83 embedded in its periphery and in this insulating material metallic contact bars 64 and 65 are placed. By referring to Figures 1 and 5, it will be noted that the contact surfaces 84 and 65 have a small space of insulation therebetween, which space is normally contacted by the free ends of brushes 6? and 58, said brushes having their other ends pivoted as at B9 to the plate 28. Suitable leaf springs H and 12 normally press the brushes 6'! and 68 against the periphery of the cam 60.

Connected to the brushes 6! and 68 are a pair of lead wires 13 and 14, respectively, the wire 13 having its other end connected to a suitable alarm device such as a horn 15 and the wire 14 having its other end secured to a suitable source of current supply such as battery 16. Disposed between the horn and battery is another wire 18 which completes the electrical circuit.

With the cam 8i} disposed upon the shaft 3| it is evident that when the sprinkler heads I 9 allow water or liquid to escape therefrom that the rota tion of the vane 33 within the casing IE will also cause this cam to rotate in a clockwise manner along with shaft 3|. After a slight rotation has been effected the metallic bar or segment 65 will move beneath the free ends of brushes 6'! 68 to close the electrical circuit and allow the current to flow from battery 16 through wire l4, brush 88, bar E5, brush 67, wire 33, horn 75. wire i8 and back to the battery 15. The segment 64 is provided to make contact should the flow of water be reversed in the main line and thereby cause the shaft 3| together with the vane 33 to rotate in a counter-clockwise manner. In other words, irrespective of the manner of the direction in which the liquid flows within the pipes l4, l5 and l l the parts of this alarm system will operate equally well.

It is, therefore, seen that I have provided an alarm system which comprises both mechanical and electrical means for operating audible signals upon the flow of liquid within the main pipe line.

In the drawin s and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and specific sense only, and not for the purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a wet sprinkler system for a building in which a main pipe line conducts water to a building and has a plurality of branch lines equipped with normally closed sprinkler heads, said main pipe line and the branch pipe lines being normally filled with water under pressure, a housing disposed in said main pipe line and having a swinging gate therein completely filling said housing but being swingable by flow of water through the pipe line upon opening of one of the sprinkler heads or escape of water from any portion of the pipe line and its branch lines, a stem secured to one end of the gate and serving as a pivot for the gate and projecting to the exterior of the housing, a disk secured on said stem on the exterior of the housing and having a cavity therein, an alarm branch pipe line having one end connected to the main pipe line and having its other end connected to a suitable liquid motor operated alarm, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends and having one end connected to a valve in said alarm branch line, a roller mounted in the other end of the lever and normally resting in said cavity in said disk, flow of water through said main pipe line serving to move said gate and rotate said disk and open said valve to actuate said alarm.

2. In a wet system of sprinklers having a pipe line connected to all the sprinkler heads and normally filled with water under pressure, a swinging gate disposed in the pipe line and movable by the flow of water through the pipe line when a break occurs in the pipe line beyond the gate or one of the sprinkler heads becomes opened, a stem rotatably mounted in the pipe line and piercing the same and to which one end of the gate is secured and serving as the point of rotation for the gate, a cam having a low side and a high side and being fixed on said stem on the exterior of the pipe, an alarm pipe communicating with the pipe line at one end and having a water actuated alarm at its other end, a valve in said alarm pipe, means normally closing the valve in the alarm pipe, a lever connected to said valve and having means on its outer end normally resting against the low side of said cam, whereby when the gate is rotated by passage of water through said pipe line the stem will rotate to cause the outer end of the lever to ride onto 2 GROVER C. QUEEN. 

